1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to artificial plants and, more particularly, is directed to improvements in artificial representations or simulations of plants of the type comprised of stem-simulating members molded of plastic and terminating in numerous stem portions on which separately molded or formed flower or leaf-simulating members are mounted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide an artificial plant by assembling together numerous plant organ simulating members, such as, stem-simulating members molded of plastic and having suitably configured, branching stem portions, and flower or leaf-simulating members which are separately formed and connected, at respective joints, to the branching stem portions. In known artificial plants of the described character, at each joint where plant organ simulating members are to be connected to each other, one of such members is provided with a projecting rod-like connecting portion having a bulbous free end, and the other of the respective members is provided with a tubular or ring-like connecting portion dimensioned so that the bulbous free end of the rod-like connecting portion is slightly larger than the central hole or opening of the tubular or ring-like portion. Thus, when assembling together the plant organ simulating members, the bulbous free end of each rod-like connecting portion is forced through the central opening or hole of the respective tubular or ring-like connecting portion which is circumferentially distended until the bulbous free end of the rod-like connecting portion exits from the hole of the ring-like connecting portion which then returns to its original configuration on the respective rod-like connecting portion. Thereafter, separation of the rod-like and ring-like connecting portions is resisted by the fact that the bulbous free end of the rod-like connecting portion is larger than the hole of the ring-like connecting portion. The extent to which such separation is resisted obviously depends upon the relative diametrical dimensions of the bulbous free end of the rod-like connecting portion and of the hole in the ring-like connecting portion. However, if the bulbous free end is made large enough relative to the size of the hole in the respective ring-like connecting portion so as to strongly resist separation of the respective plant organ simulating members, the assembling together of such members is rendered difficult by the need to substantially circumferentially distend the ring-like connecting portion during the assembly and, further, such substantial circumferential distending of the ring-like connecting portion often causes splitting or cracking of the latter with the result that the respective plant organ simulating member is no longer secured to the remainder of the assemblage.
In other known artificial plants of the described character, each flower or leaf-simulating member has a petiole-like part molded of plastic and terminating in a socket or tubular connecting portion which is open only at one end for axially receiving a respective rod-like connecting portion extending from a stem-simulating member. If the socket or tubular connecting portion is merely dimensioned to be frictionally retained on the respective rod-like connecting portion, the resulting joint is liable to be separated or disconnected when the respective flower or leaf-simulating member is tugged or pulled. On the other hand, if the rod-like connecting portion is provided with a ridge extending there-around or with a bulbous section, and the respective socket or tubular connecting portion is formed with a corresponding annular groove or enlargement in its inner surface so that the annular ridge or bulbous
39-241.027 section will snap into such groove or enlargement after circumferential distending of the socket upon the axial insertion of the rod-like connecting portion into the socket or tubular connecting portion, there is again the danger that the socket or tubular connecting portion will be overstressed circumferentially and split axially during the assembling together of the plant organ simulating members.